ADVERTISEMENT

The most random Pitt tidbit you'll hear all month

S

Sean Miller Fan

Lair Hall of Famer
Oct 30, 2001
67,315
21,721
113
I am stealing this from the Olympic Sports board because that's where I saw this and I dont think most of you go over there.

Pitt has a quartefinalist in the US Women's Open (tennis). Like me, you may have forgot Pitt had a tennis team. In fact, didnt we eliminate it? So its surprising to hear we have an alum who is this good. However, what is way more surprising is that her dad is Buffalo Bills/Sabres owner and Penn State Athletics megadonor, Terry Pegula. What???
 
I knew that PSU megadonor's daughter was a pro tennis player -- I had no idea that she played collegiate tennis at Pitt.

I heard he is basically singlehandedly responsible for creating the PSU hockey program. I wish him (or his daughter) would fund a hockey program for Pitt.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
Then she is one of us. Lets get her (and Daddy's wallet) at Acrisure!
Click to expand...
I don’t know, that other thread is saying she didn’t play for Pitt. And her wiki also says she turned pro in 2009 (when she was 15), so I have my doubts.
 
So why would she come to Pitt?.........Easy, she wanted a quality education instead of the well known diploma factory certificate of attendance....
 
Is there no rules against NFL owners being NIL donors for football? Seems like paying potential future would be a conflict of interests.
 
Seems fair to me. Pitt alum who have kids good at football send them to PSU. PSU alum who have kids good at tennis send them to Pitt.

Fair trade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Parkview57
BigChungus90210 said:
Is there no rules against NFL owners being NIL donors for football? Seems like paying potential future would be a conflict of interests.
Click to expand...
All we know is that he paid for the hockey programs and funded football coaching salaries. I believe he was mentioned when they ponied up some money to get BoB to stay. I think the NFL would have some rules about NIL and football players. Jerry Jones has been a pretty active donor to Arkansas' football program.
 
Jessica Pegula never played tennis at Pitt. Pitt never won the Big East Conference nor had a women's tennis player of the year. I don't even think she attended Pitt.



A Laura Pegula, who was listed from Wesford/North Allegheny on Pitt's roster, did play at Pitt form 2001-04. I have no idea if she is actually a sister.
 
Last edited:
  • Wow
Reactions: Parkview57
CrazyPaco said:
Jessica Pegula never played tennis at Pitt. Pitt never won the Big East Conference nor had a women's tennis player of the year. I don't even think she attended Pitt.


Click to expand...

I would guess she did attend Pitt with her sister being there but probably didnt spend much time on Oakland as she was already a pro. We need to get our best people on this and fast.
 
CrazyPaco said:
Jessica Pegula never played tennis at Pitt. Pitt never won the Big East Conference nor had a women's tennis player of the year. I don't even think she attended Pitt.


Click to expand...
Looks like her wikipedia page has been edited to remove the references to playing tennis at Pitt and being Big East player of the year.
 
CrazyPaco said:
Jessica Pegula never played tennis at Pitt. Pitt never won the Big East Conference nor had a women's tennis player of the year. I don't even think she attended Pitt.



A Laura Pegula, who was listed from Wesford/North Allegheny on Pitt's roster, did play at Pitt form 2001-04. I have no idea if she is actually a sister.
Click to expand...
Laura Pegula is Jessica’s sister. I believe Laura’s the eldest child, and actually has been the Pegula family representative to the NFL and NHL annual meetings in recent years given Pegula’s wife’s health issues, leading to some speculation that she may be emerging as the heir apparent to ultimately own the teams down the road.
 
Why the heck does this thread mention her dad has anything to do with psu?

Why not just say Pitt has an amazing female tennis player.

That makes it confusing.
 
pittchagg said:
Laura Pegula is Jessica’s sister. I believe Laura’s the eldest child, and actually has been the Pegula family representative to the NFL and NHL annual meetings in recent years given Pegula’s wife’s health issues, leading to some speculation that she may be emerging as the heir apparent to ultimately own the teams down the road.
Click to expand...

Yep, that is definitely her. And she is now involved with both the Bills and Sabers, and a small percentage owner of the Bills.

"The 41-year-old is Terry’s daughter from his first marriage, has been involved in her father’s oil business and recently has been more visible in events such as the recent NFL owner’s meetings in Orlando, FL. According to the report, Laura is now serving as an alternate governor for the Sabres, has represented the club at recent NHL meetings and appeared at her father's side at the press conference late last month announcing the hiring of head coach Lindy Ruff."
usatsi_21603967_168402779_lowres.webp


From her time at Pitt (2003-2004 Pitt Media Guide):
2610.jpg


Laura Pegula
transfer from Eastern Michigan.
She enters her senior season with a 33-17 record. Competed and won a round in ITA tournament.

JUNIOR (2003):Finished the season with a 15-11 singles record and 16-12 doubles record. Lead the team in doubles victories.
SOPHOMORE (2002): First season as a Pittsburgh Panther after transferring from Eastern Michigan. Finished with an 18-6 singles record and 11-11 doubles record. Named Pittsburgh's Most Valuable Player at the end of the 2001-2002 season.
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2000 graduate of North Allegheny High School...competed for three seasons...finished in the top five in the
state as a senior...also finished in the top five in the state of New York as a sophomore at Vestal High.

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Singles Doubles
S e a s o n W L W L
2000-01 18 6 11 11
2001-02 15 11 16 12
Totals 33 31 27 23

PLAYER PROFILE
Born: June 21, 1982
Daughter of Linda Rochez and Terry Pegula
Has two brothers and two sisters
Favorite class is geology
Favorite TV show is National Geographic
Favorite musical group is Pink Floyd
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: pittdan77
Sean Miller Fan said:
I would guess she did attend Pitt with her sister being there but probably didnt spend much time on Oakland as she was already a pro. We need to get our best people on this and fast.
Click to expand...
Highly unlikely Jessica ever attended Pitt. As a pro, she'd be training and competing full time, year round, and not in Pittsburgh.
 
CrazyPaco said:
Highly unlikely Jessica ever attended Pitt. As a pro, she'd be training and competing full time, year round, and not in Pittsburgh.
Click to expand...

Maybe. But a lot of these child pros do attend college while also training and competing as a pro. So, I would almost guarantee she did attend college. Whether or not it was at Pitt, who knows.
 
CrazyPaco said:
Yep, that is definitely her. And she is now involved with both the Bills and Sabers, and a small percentage owner of the Bills.

"The 41-year-old is Terry’s daughter from his first marriage, has been involved in her father’s oil business and recently has been more visible in events such as the recent NFL owner’s meetings in Orlando, FL. According to the report, Laura is now serving as an alternate governor for the Sabres, has represented the club at recent NHL meetings and appeared at her father's side at the press conference late last month announcing the hiring of head coach Lindy Ruff."
usatsi_21603967_168402779_lowres.webp


From her time at Pitt (2003-2004 Pitt Media Guide):
2610.jpg


Laura Pegula
transfer from Eastern Michigan.
She enters her senior season with a 33-17 record. Competed and won a round in ITA tournament.

JUNIOR (2003):Finished the season with a 15-11 singles record and 16-12 doubles record. Lead the team in doubles victories.
SOPHOMORE (2002): First season as a Pittsburgh Panther after transferring from Eastern Michigan. Finished with an 18-6 singles record and 11-11 doubles record. Named Pittsburgh's Most Valuable Player at the end of the 2001-2002 season.
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2000 graduate of North Allegheny High School...competed for three seasons...finished in the top five in the
state as a senior...also finished in the top five in the state of New York as a sophomore at Vestal High.

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

Singles Doubles
S e a s o n W L W L
2000-01 18 6 11 11
2001-02 15 11 16 12
Totals 33 31 27 23

PLAYER PROFILE
Born: June 21, 1982
Daughter of Linda Rochez and Terry Pegula
Has two brothers and two sisters
Favorite class is geology
Favorite TV show is National Geographic
Favorite musical group is Pink Floyd
Click to expand...
I said this in the other thread, but it appears that she’s a Pitt geology grad and is an exec at the Pegula oil and gas business out of Sewickley - which is the operation that gave Pegula the money to buy the Bills and Sabres in the first place. Not a bad Pitt alumna to keep an eye on - she might end up being pretty prominent down the road!
 
pittchagg said:
I said this in the other thread, but it appears that she’s a Pitt geology grad and is an exec at the Pegula oil and gas business out of Sewickley - which is the operation that gave Pegula the money to buy the Bills and Sabres in the first place. Not a bad Pitt alumna to keep an eye on - she might end up being pretty prominent down the road!
Click to expand...
She could at least fund the restablishment of Pitt tennis.
 
Last edited:
Sean Miller Fan said:
Maybe. But a lot of these child pros do attend college while also training and competing as a pro. So, I would almost guarantee she did attend college. Whether or not it was at Pitt, who knows.
Click to expand...
From a story in the Buffalo News on Jessica:

"The opening chapters of her story are the easy ones: Pegula, who was born in Buffalo and spent the early part of her childhood in Pittsburgh while her dad ran the oil and gas operation that made him wealthy, began playing tennis at age 7. She showed prodigious talent and her family moved to South Carolina to get her high-level coaching. Pegula kept ascending the tennis ranks, turning pro in 2009. She ultimately moved to Boca Raton, Fla., where she lives and trains today when she’s not traveling."

So she almost certainly didn't attend Pitt. Article talks about her husbands education, but nothing about her going to college.
 
CrazyPaco said:
From a story in the Buffalo News on Jessica:

"The opening chapters of her story are the easy ones: Pegula, who was born in Buffalo and spent the early part of her childhood in Pittsburgh while her dad ran the oil and gas operation that made him wealthy, began playing tennis at age 7. She showed prodigious talent and her family moved to South Carolina to get her high-level coaching. Pegula kept ascending the tennis ranks, turning pro in 2009. She ultimately moved to Boca Raton, Fla., where she lives and trains today when she’s not traveling."

So she almost certainly didn't attend Pitt. Article talks about her husbands education, but nothing about her going to college.
Click to expand...

Maybe she went to Bishop Sycamore?
 
HailtoPitt said:
You would think that if Pitt has two tennis alums whose father was worth multiple billions, they would have found a way to NOT cut the tennis program for lack of funding.
Click to expand...

Maybe Pegula will build a tennis stadium and self-fund the program. He has a tendency to do that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Chris Peak

Heather Lyke, Pitt and college athletics - Things we know and things we think

Replies
262
Views
10K
Between Fifth And Forbes
Gastley1
G
Tiger Paul Lives

It may not be the "Golden Years" of Pitt athletics, but it is pretty good.

Replies
7
Views
534
Center Court at the Pete
pitt90seven
pitt90seven
Chris Peak
  • Locked
  • Sticky

In the Pitt - 9/13/2013

Replies
28
Views
4K
In the Pitt Archives
goatman
goatman
Chris Peak
  • Locked
  • Sticky

In the Pitt - 9/5/2008

Replies
11
Views
1K
In the Pitt Archives
sabo8878
sabo8878
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back